Former NFL player and coach, and current ESPN analyst

NEWSMAKER Q&A: HERMAN EDWARDS

November 30, 2013

Herman Edwards, 59, was involved in one of the most famous plays in Eagles and NFL history, the 1978 "Miracle at the Meadowlands" when he recovered a fumble against the Giants and ran it into the end zone with just a few seconds left. He later became head coach of the Jets and Chiefs and is currently a studio analyst for ESPN. Last week, Edwards was the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Lehigh Valley Chapter of Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and LifePath Thanksgiving Awards Luncheon. He is the subject of this week's Q&A.

Q: How much do you miss playing and coaching?

A: When you've been in football as long as I was, you miss the locker room, the camaraderie. You miss the opportunity to work for a common goal each week and find out what happens on Sunday. You get feedback. You get a winner and loser. You don't get that in television.

A: Probably the most difficult thing is the time you're away from your family. You're away all the time. I have two little girls, age 7 and 8. You miss moments. But when you have that family time, you appreciate the moments you are with them and you're focused on them. You stay focused on coaching when you're coaching and you focus on your family when you have time. Don't try to do too many things.

Q: You coached in two cities, New York and Kansas City. Were they very different?

A: At a New York press conference, there were 25 reporters. In Kansas City, there were four. But as far as the city's passion, they were the same. New York has so many other sports teams that if you're having a bad week, they just move on to the next team. In Kansas City, they live and die with the Chiefs. There are just two pro teams and the Royals have been struggling for so long, so it's all about the Chiefs.

Q: What about your time in Philadelphia?

A: I'm always an Eagle and I will always love those fans.

Q: What do you think the Eagles right now?

A: I think everybody is excited about their situation because I don't think they thought they'd be where they're at. They have a legitimate chance to win their division. All they need to do is win three of their last five games. The quarterback situation had been in flux and now they've made the decision to go with [Nick] Foles. They've done a nice job to put themselves in position.

Q: Is the running game a forgotten part of football?

A: They throw the ball so much now and I believe you score by throwing the ball, but to win games you still have to be able to run. You've got to close the game out. When you can run, especially now when the leaves are falling off the trees and it's cold and windy, that's a big plus.

Q: 35 years later, are the images of the "Miracle at the Meadowlands" still clear?

A: It's funny when you look at the replay. Even the uniforms were so different back then. The way the shoulder pads were, I look like a lineman and not a defensive back. But you always talk about the game never being over and how you need to finish. There it was. We had 26 seconds left and no one ever imagined it could happen, but it did.

Q: Ever want to get back into coaching?

A: No, it's over for me. I've been asked the past couple of years to come back to pro football and college, but I have a wonderful platform. I am enjoying television. I've got time now to spend with my daughters, which is pretty important.

Q: Does the Eagles Super Bowl loss to the Raiders still sting?

A: When teams win the Super Bowl they drop confetti and you remember the celebration of the winning team, but they forget that the losing team has to walk through that confetti to get to their locker room. With my two girls, we have birthday parties. But we'll never have confetti because it reminds me of that Super Bowl.